Part of the debate – in the Senedd at 4:26 pm on 10 January 2023.
One of the challenges is the fact that there is a short shelf life for these products. It was one of the concerns about a 'no deal' Brexit. I had to go through, I think, three different iterations of 'no deal' Brexit planning, and as well as challenges for pharmaceutical suppliers and a whole load of other things, radioisotope supplies were always near the top of the list as to what would happen. In fact, in the previous Senedd, Mike Hedges was regularly asking questions about whether we'd be able, on a licence basis, outside the European Union, to be able to have isotope supply. Some of that was resolved, but the challenge was really about if there would be delays because of the point about the shelf life. When it comes to our current import journey for the bulk of the isotopes that we use, we manage that successfully. However, having a production facility in Wales, including in north-west Wales, would be adequate in terms of shelf life and our ability to get it from where it's being produced to where it's needed. But in terms of going through the greater detail that this work would now undertake, it should deal with both those transport issues and indeed the point that yourself and Mabon ap Gwynfor have made about are there alternative technologies available, how far can they fill the gap, and then the need that is still there for, as I say, something that will be 1 per cent of the previous Horizon proposal and a very, very different scale of operation being proposed with all the attendant issues around that. I recognise the concerns people will have about the safe operation of facilities like this, as well as seeing the potential for investment. I'm very proud that we're continuing to make progress on the north Wales medical school. I see the former Minister for north Wales on the screen in front of me—it was part of the conversation we had in the last Government, and we're looking to carry on and deliver within this term as well.